Xiaomi does not turn on: what to do if the button is broken

When your Xiaomi screen goes out and your device refuses to respond to any action because of a broken power button, it can take anyone by surprise. This is especially critical if the phone is dead and needs to be started urgently, or if there is a software failure that requires a reboot. It would seem that without physical fixation of the contact, the system can not start, but engineers have provided several software and hardware workarounds.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the existing ways to activate a smartphone without the use of the regular mechanism Power Button. You will learn how to use the capabilities of the operating system MIUI or HyperOS, how to use connection to a computer and what emergency methods exist for fully discharged devices. It is important to understand that some methods work only with the phone on, while others will help to start it from scratch.

Before you go to radical measures or bring a gadget to the service, try software solutions. Often the problem is solved by simply reconfiguring the touch screen or using standard accessibility features that are hidden by default from the user's eyes. Let's look at step-by-step instructions for different scenarios.

Use the Double Tap function to wake up

The easiest and most affordable way to turn on the screen, if it's just gone out, but the phone isn't completely off, is to activate the double-touch wake-up function. In MIUI and HyperOS shells, this option is built-in at the system level and does not require third-party software installation. However, if the phone is completely off (offline), this method will not work, since the touchscreen is also de-energized.

To activate this feature, you need to go to the settings. If the screen responds to touch, but the lock button does not work, unlock the device using Face. ID Or a fingerprint scanner, if you're configured. Then follow the Settings menu. → Lock screen. Here you need to find the item "Double tap to turn on / off the screen" and move the switch to the active position.

Once activated, the screen will light up with two quick finger-to-finger hits on the black display, allowing you to fully use your smartphone in everyday life without having to look for the side of the case. It is also recommended to adjust facial recognition to fully unlock the device, so you can do without mechanical buttons.

• 👆 Go to Settings through the notification curtain or widget.
• 👆 Select the Lock Screen or Always On Screen section.
• 👆 Activate the switchboard Double touch.
• 👆 Check the work by turning off the display and tapping it twice.

⚠️ Warning: The dual tap function will not help turn the phone on if it has been completely turned off or discharged to zero.

Connection to the charger and PC

If your Xiaomi is completely off and does not respond to touch, the most reliable way to wake it is to supply power. Modern lithium polymer batteries at deep discharge may not show the indication immediately. Connect the original cable and power supply to the outlet. In most cases, even if the button is not working, the smartphone will automatically turn on or go into charging mode, from where it can be unlocked.

An alternative and often more effective method is to connect to a computer through a computer. USB-When the phone detects a connection to an active host (PC or laptop), the motherboard receives a signal to start transmitting data, which can initiate a system start-up. This is especially true for models where the power button is combined with debugging functionality.

Sometimes a sequence of actions is required. Try to pinch the volume key combination while connecting the cable. For example, holding the Volume Down volume button when connecting to a PC can put the phone in Fastboot mode, from where you can already try to select the system start option (usually by the volume button) or just wait for automatic boot if the mode was selected earlier.

It is important to use a serviceable cable, as damaged wires can only charge the battery, but not transmit the wake-up signals necessary to activate the power controller. If the phone vibrates, but the screen is not burning, wait 10-15 minutes, perhaps there is a charge accumulation for start.

Setting up the on and off schedule

One of the most powerful software methods that will allow you to forget about a broken button in the future is to set up an automatic schedule. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in feature that allows the device to turn on and off at a given time, which is ideal if the phone is dead at night or you plan to periodically restart it to clean up the memory.

To set up, go to Settings → Battery. In the upper right corner, click on the gear icon or look for the "On/Off" option in the battery menu. Here you can set a time, for example, at 07:00 a.m. Even if the phone is completely off, at the appointed hour it will turn on itself.

This feature is critical for users who have a power button that has failed, so you can set daily on to not depend on the mechanics, and you can set up an automatic overnight shutdown to save battery life and rest the system.

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Set the automatic turn on time 5-10 minutes earlier than you normally need to use your phone to allow the system to fully boot.

Methods for Android 11 and higher (without root rights)

Newer versions of the Android operating system that run modern Xiaomi have a native power management feature through the screen. If your phone is still on, but the button is not working, you can display the off menu on the display. → Special facilities.

In the list, find the Accessibility Menu and activate it, and then you'll see a little man or keyboard icon on the navigation screen or in the curtain, and you'll see virtual buttons, including the power button, the lock button, and the volume control, which is a complete replacement for the mechanical key.

Also worth mentioning is the possibility of using a voice assistant. If you have a Google Assistant or XiaoAI setup, you can try a voice command to turn off your phone or reboot. However, for security reasons, modern versions of Android often require a touch-to-screen confirmation, which can be problematic if the display is also damaged.

• 🗣️ Activate Google Assistant with your voice.
• 🗣️ Say “Turn off my phone” (in English, it works better).
• 🗣️ Confirm the action on the screen if a request appears.

⚠️ Warning: Voice control only works when the device is unlocked and there is an active Internet connection.

Emergency launch via Recovery and Fastboot

If standard methods don’t help and the phone is in a “brick” or cyclic reboot state, you can try to enter recovery mode. To enter Recovery mode on most Xiaomi models without a power button, you can use the following trick: connect the phone to the charger, wait for the logo or vibration to appear, and immediately start quickly and rhythmically pressing the Volume Up Volume Volume Volume Up button.

Sometimes it helps to combine both volume buttons simultaneously when connecting the cable to the PC. If you manage to get into the Recovery menu (usually a black screen with text or an orange menu), the navigation is done with volume buttons, and the choice is with the power button. But because it doesn’t work, in some versions of Recovery, selecting “Reboot” can be done automatically through a timer, or you can try using the connection. USB-mouse-wise OTG-Adapter (not working on all models).

In Fastboot mode, navigation is also button-bound, but if the phone is already in this mode, a simple long-term connection to the original charger (not to the PC) sometimes causes the system to exit and boot normally.

It is worth noting that entering these modes without a power button working is a lottery process and requires patience, the main thing is to catch the moment of power supply and start bombarding with volume buttons.

Use of Assistant Applications and ADB

For advanced users who have access to the developer menu, a great solution is to use USB debugging (ADB). If the phone has USB debugging enabled, you can control power from your computer. Connect your smartphone to your PC and type in the command line:

adb reboot

This command will force the device to restart. The adb shell reboot -p command is used to turn off. This is the most reliable software method, but it requires a pre-setting that should have been done before the button broke.

If the phone is on but the button is not working, you can install apps from Google Play that add a virtual button to the screen or use sensors (such as shaking on). Popular apps like Button Mapper or Volume Button allow you to reassign the volume button functions to the action of turning on the screen.

• 📱 Install an application to reassign buttons.
• 📱 Set the long press "Loudness" +» Action “Screen locking».
• 📱 Use double-pressing to turn on the screen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Setting up the power schedule and dual tap features are two of the main ways to live comfortably with a broken power button on Xiaomi.